Vaginal pack device



. 1 June 20, 1 944.

o. PQPPE R VAGINAL PACK DEVICE Filed March 24, 1941 ZSheets-Sheet 1 Ill-JuneZO, 1944. A o, POPPER 2,351,836 I VAGINAL PACK DEVICE Filed March24, 1941 Sheets-Sheet 2 171/1911 a I 14 9 fi pcr Patented June '20, 1944UNITED 'TSTA'lES Z1Pieifil.N.T .ol s c VAGINAD PACK 'OttoPopper,Johannesburg,Transvaal, Union, of South Africa ApplieatiomMarch- 24,1941;" Serial-No'."385;021 In.,the UnionofSouth AfricafOctbberFIS' 1938.i.'I.his invention-relatesto vaginal pack devices, :zcomprising.an-absorbent pack and an applicator which serves thepurpose offacilitatinglthe introduction of :the pack into the. vagina and is .thenwithdrawn esaidapplicator comprising a 5 .j, is:.-an object oftheinvention-to providea pack" 1' device. .by which. the .pack .can .be.passed fully -:into :the. proximal endof. the vaginal cavity-with-:out, during such .m0vement,-.- contactingwith the vaginal walls, .-sothat friction betweenvthecpack .andsaid walls. is avoided. ;A more.specificobject i is -to-enableithe entire operation of. so positioningthepack and. the subsequent withdrawal of.- the enclosureto be. effectedby manipulationiexternal inf the. vagina, without the, devicebeingofincon- -venient length.

:Another objectis. to form the proximal .endoof "the pack device of theapplicator, that is itheend which .is passed vfirst into the vagina,. in.a particrularsmannertvvell.v adapted for. ease of introduction..into'the vaginaand avoidance. oflinjury -to ,the .body'tissues.

,-'Accordingj to .thisoinventioma vaginal .pack .de-

vice comprisesa .pack. of absorbenttmate'rialand of elongated; form and..an externa11y .smooth.ap- .gplicatorltherefor whichashields the pack.against ..'contact-with the .walls. ofsthe vagina during-movement. ofthe. .applicatortand pack together, to .position the. pack in. thevupper. vaginal cavity; the applicator comprising aLh'ollow elongatedcasing ,of easilydiscardable .material .such was paper:iformed.-at.one.side with. alongitudinaligap' form- .fiing -.a path fora member which when. extended -.transversely through said. gap. from ithe. exterior of the applicator is adapted to.. hold ttheipack .rstationary while .the-applicatoriis vbeirJgdrawn iback therefrom; .theapplicator shell being .of

-:;suflici ent. .length to have, whenipositioned .with ,lits proximal.end in the upper vaginal cavity, a ;;;,-graspable portion of-itprojecting from the vagina.

- .iPreferably ithe pack device ..comprises--a packs.

detaining memberwhi'ch' contacts with thefdistal endor the *packandjprovides a digit contacting '=point space'ddistally-away from thepack; said "digit contacting point being -'-accessible" through ""the'longitudinal gap bfthe Shell "0r being DIO- videdflby "a portion ofthepack-detaining memberpr'ojecting-through said gap. 1

Several" forms of the* invention are 5 illustrated 1 in the accompanyingdrawings in" which;

Figure 1 is a perspective view 6f'-an-.-assembled pack device, includingan applicator casing "formedwitha longitudinal-gap,

Figure 2 is a plan'ofFigure'l. "Figure'3 is a 'sideele'vation: sectionedon -33 of"Fig1lre"'2. i

*Figure" 4 is" a cross section taken Ton 4 4' 'Figv.ure"3.

-"Figuref5"is a"'cross-sectiontaken on about 5 5 *Figure 3; but "showingpartsrdisplaced.

- rFigure? 6-1isa "section *respectively 'a'. front ele- -vation-and a;longitudinal section similar. to Figure-3; butssh-owing- "the"applicator formed "with -a-bulbousvend.

Figure '7-isa"-frontelevation "of-'the "device of --Figurer8-is-afrontelevation of. a form ofthe packdevice vinwwhich the applicatorgap is closed sby a strip 1 of easilyrupturablematerial.

*- Figure9 ,is a perspective "view of' a-.pack-"device, =in-whiclrtheapplicator-comprises a "casing and a pack-detainingmember.

itherapplicator consistsonlyofthe pack-enclosing vmember, whichv this.caselis shaped as a ..hollow uelongatedashell 2 -which.materiallyencloses the pack 3.- 'l'hel-rshell rissformed with. a

1ongitudina1 .slot.4. -at one side. Theiunction of .Wsaid, slotlis to.admit? afingerathrough it: andi to .contact. with the...pack 3as-indicated at 5 in .45.

Figures 3 ..,and-.'5iafter .the .device has vbeen.brought.-into.posi-tion within thevagina. The .normal .width .of the.slot 4 is .usually I made less thanithe wi'dthlofi the-finger so .thatthe .finger .widens ,the. slot .and, ..byv..there by.iexpanding the.shell,.l1frees v the latter ,to a.;considerable extent ...from,.the.pack and so, fac'ilit'ates its withdrawal .therefrom.

' The .shell, which-is intended .to be discarded .after :use, .is' made,oripaper, moulded cellulose 55-.pu1p, .or..1ike., inexpensive materialwhich; isrstifi graspable portion 8 of it projecting from the vag- Iinal canal. I Y

The proximal end 9 of the shell is left open sufficiently to enable thepack 3 to pass relatively out of the shell when the latter is withdrawn;but steps are taken to prevent or minimize con tact of the pack materialwith the vaginal wall since as pointed out above the pack material isfibrous and so apt to set up undesirable friction. For this purpose, theend surface ID of the pack 3 may be depressed below the adjacentterminal edge II of the shell; and thesurface of the packimmediatelywithin the slot 4 may be similarly depressed as shown at I2.The said edge II may be rounded as by doubling or rolling it over. asshown more particularly in Figures 3 and 4. The edges'of the shell atthe sides of the slot 4 do not need rounding, at any rateto the sameextent as the forward edge II; and they may be simply turned inward.

The distal end 8 of the shell which provides the above-mentionedgraspable portion may be shaped as a tab, and is so shown.

The pack is retained in the shell principally by the frictional grip ofthe latter on it, but there may be provided, in addition, a mechanicalstop to ensure the pack being kept properly positioned in the shellduring the insertion of the device. For this purpose the shell materialon one side of the slot 4 may be formed with a lateral extension whichis bent inward to form a lug I3 positioned beneath the pack. The pack isprovided in the usual way, with a cord I4 for withdrawing it fromthevagina when it has served its purpose.

In order to facilitate the introduction of'the device into the vagina,it is preferred to terminate the proximal end of the shell 2 at a planeindicated by'I5-I5 Figure 3, inclined to the length of the shell. Inthis way so much-oi the length of said proximal end which is therebyslanted off, viz., the length 1:, becomes ahollow ungula in which theoblique terminal edge II' corresponds to the oblique face of thecorresponding solid ungula. This ungual form possesses the advantages ofa wedge in its capacity-for gently parting the oppositesides of thevaginal wallswhich'normally lie flat against one another; with the addedadvantage that its forward end is transversely tapered and curvedtowards its apex which further facilitates its entry and avoids thesharp corners of a true wedge.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 6 and '7 the proximal endof the device, whilst retaining the described ungual shape," is alsogiven a bulbous form which further facilitates the introduction of. thedevice into the vagina. Such bulbous form provides at a short .distancefrom its apex I6, a bulged section ll of greater lateral extent than thegeneral body portion of member 2. Said section I I by locally distendingthe vaginal cavity, avoids or minimizes contact of said general bodyportion with the vaginal walls and so'minimizes friction thereon. 'Alsodirection of penetrating movement, so facilitatin its easy movement overthe vaginal wall.

In the use of the device, the shell with the pack positioned within itis passed into the upper vaginal cavity. A finger 5, Figures 3 and 5, isthen inserted through the slot 4 and pressed against the underside ofthe pack, as shown. The insertion of the finger into the slot expandsthe shell as indicated in Figure 5 and so frees the pack to aconsiderable extent from the shell. While the pack is thus retained, theshell is grasped by its tab 8 and drawn past the pack and the finger;whereupon the latter is withdrawn, leaving the pack in position in theupper vaginal cavity.

Figure 8 shows the same shell as that of Figure 7 buthaving its slot 4covered by smooth-surfaced thin sheet material l8 suitable to be splitby pressure'of the finger against it. The commencement of the split isfacilitated by providing a V- out I9 at the point where the finger firstcontacts with the sheet and lines of weakness 20 leading fromsaid-V-cut. The proximal end of the shell may be left open, with thepack material sunk below it, as in the first described examples; or theend of the shell may be covered by an extension 2Iof the sheet materialI8. Said extension 2I maybe formed with lines of weakness 22 at which itsplits by pressure against the proximal end of the pack when the shellis withdrawn, so enabling the pack to emerge relatively to the shell.

7 Figures 9 to 11 show a form of the invention in which the applicatorcomprises a pack-enclosing member and a pack-detaining member.

The pack-enclosing member is a tube 23'which, like the tube 2 of Figures1 to 8, presents a smooth external, surface adapted to make easy slidingcontact with the vaginal walls; and has the pack ,3 arranged within itsproximal end.- The tube stantially not less length than the length ofthe pack and, preferably, closed at both ends.

, The applicator further comprises the packdetaining member 24 which isrelatively slidable within the tube 23 and comprises a portion 25extending materially transversely of the tube and contacting with thedistal end 26 of'the'p'ack for the purpose of maintaining the pack inits high position in the vagina when the .tube 23. is stripped back fromit.

The member 24 is constructed to enable it to be digitally, retainedagainst endwise movement. For thispurpose it is shown as being providedwith a laterally directed lug 21' extending out of the slot 4 so that itmay be grasped by the fingers. Said lug is connected to the transverseportion 25 by the. spacing strip 28 which spacesthe lug away from thepack and towardsthe distal end 8 ofv the tube 23. The strip 28 is widerthan the slot 4 so as to be retained within the tube 23 while thelugilprojects through the slot. The

the edge I I near to the apex I6 is, by the bulbous.

formation, turned materially transversely to the distance betweentheapex I6 and the lug 21 is made greater than the length of the normalvagina, for instance more than three and one-half inches, thus ensuringthat the lugZI is external of' the vagina, when they pack is fullyinsertedtherein. i

The pack device is made use of with its parts in the relative positionsshown in Figure 9, that is with the pack enclosed in the proximal end ofthe tube 23 and the member 24 positioned with its portion 25. incontactwiththe distal end 26 of the pack and with its lug "21restnastiness xwsult His {achieved-ms ink the antherrexampleethat;the:pa'ck isztransportedfintoizitstproperz-posizztion in-the uppersvaginal cavitytwithout having contactedxwvithi':thexvaginalzz-walls. ":The sdistance .tha'ongh' whichqtheapackiahas rto she. tthus z-trans- 5 sgpolgted.zisrzindicatefi'tinithe:ndrawingswbymimenasionicmntl save-sages :.=th1:ee::and zone-half 1-lnches aasrmentionedzxabove.

1 The :pack .ihavinglbeen thus apositione'd, :the

dznbe 22-3 .is:.withdrawn' from -it, z-assillustrated iins 310, .Eby.downward: traction applied; at its edis'talxenliii 8 .Whi'18i-thezpackfiis rheldinxrpo'sition .rin ez-thezupperrvaginal :cavity,-tbymeans of the '..emember :24 :which. in :turn:. is" held: stationary; by

:rmeans-bf :the'lug 1-21. iFI'he slot l-allows the tube -;23 L120 rhavexthe -ifreedom ef "movement rela- .itivelyr to sthe'memberZNtnecessaryforsuch'withidrawingsmovement of lithe-tube; :that "is :to say "saidsslotiis:eabout asilong asfthe zpa'ck. mes ':soonrasizthe proximal endof itube 23 been-idrawn away fromi theidistal end ifi toftthe FigureaIO),:the izlatter -is held z-fin position by its .scontact swith 1.thexuaginal walls and the function of :the 'aapplicator is :zcompleted.'Ihe digital :holdzzonilug can them-be; relinquished :30

sandiithe applicator sparts it 2-3 21 are Withdrawn together bycontinued traction on the {distal .:.end.:8 :ofitube :23 .the proximalend 29 of the JSIO-t ZtDOSSIbIY zcontacting with thedlug 21 'to en--sure.-J;he:'withdrawa1 of -thevmember 24.

:In order cthat :ithe above edescribed. steps of -;;insertionz andwithdrawal may be. efiected wholly jayniigital: operation externalrofthe: vagina' it is :necessa'ry'. that :i the length :o'fl zthel tube 23.t-shan aibe TSOJmUCh greater than the: above mentioned dim'ensionsm,ithatrwwhen :said tube is ;-ful1y- 'in- :serted :as :described, venoughLot its distal end 8 remains projecting from the vagina jtoenable-titxto'zberfiectivelygrasped.

aHowerergsuch :length of itubeizziszthe ma-ximum wlength sthe wholedevice sned have, si nce al- ---ithough-iithe= lug L 21 'mustralso beexternal to the izaginazwhen tthe pack: is f ullyi'inserted' in order':.-'.tha;t.:it:'.also :may gbe externally manipulatedja'the.

' i 50 2thenpackwszith it.

.jifactioflsaid dugubeing exposed' through the 'slot 4which is withinlithe a lengt'h or 1 23-eenables the .zxcombined length of ithe pa'ck 3and the member 2224 :a to l be no greater than the "lengthazofzthettubeifi.

izThenproximal end of 'ithe tube'3 23 may -be:of aun'gual ashapeasiillustrated in IFigure :1,-or "of .zAccording toea' furtherfeature ofthe invention, the member 24 is extended' bey'on'd its .packecontactingaielement :25 -=an-d :beyond #the iproximal $.30 ;0f *the tube 23, and-is -there wholly in iitself ors-in :conjunction with the z-proxim-al:endiitfl oft-the tube, the aforesaid un-"' iggual .zor: ungual sand:bulbous .f formations which facilitategthe insertion :of 'the packdevice. In :;the specificform :shown; the member d l 1 is con-.rtinuedfrom J 25 rand: in ither direction -=of the i proximalzendzo'fwtthe applicator as .a. 1. portion 32 has 1125 Lin order that the?head .:may be. of {maximum csize consistent I with "free :release of the'pack .a'therefrom, :its greatest :cross-sebtionpviz, :at i the .tbaseriitzfwhere itjoins ctheaitube, is :prefer'ably :35 mnadeiiofwthercircularsextentiofqz about.,1=80. .lThe

mention-13 -zalso' rmade arcuate :to-a merge 1? into izthe'irheadu and.rthiszform' also 1 gives it :stifiness "and fioccupies zthe --minimum:space between the .zpackiand-.theutube. Y 7

.I'herhollow: .ungualae'nd formations already del scribedgisuin thepresent instance formed partly --in&rthe2 head attend-partly infitheproximal end of thestube', owing :to -sthe :limiteda'circularaex--tent1xof the head. That ungual face is --representdrin part'by;the::edge n34;-o'fithe.z'head ,iandthe .extension""35/ of. it. on .zthertube which .:-is -;necessary :to: :complete 'ithe eel'lipse' vToxassist'in 1freein'g'%the pack, .;the :crossesec- 220 ff-fioniiflf Tthe: member 24 r at the "base 33 :ofiathe zhead 1.: maybe origina11ymade of greatzerradius -than the :tube 23,; so -:that: the wings j38=;atthe bases: of "the? head rare :pressed "towards one zan- .:-other: when:thermemberrfl sis within the tube, but-spring?aapartpwhen;:released'from "the tube, :sufliciently to :ensurethat .,theyrdo-:not gripi-thehack. 1

:EThe =head :moreovertis -:pr efe-rab1y :o'f bulbous "IOI'mTOIITthEGSidGopposite: the edgefl34; and .this ':bu1b.ous% form mayrbe well developedby; bulging $43116 ::-base 33 1 -;ofthe head :beyond ;the periphery:.'of".:the tube. v I

:.%-A :preferrednrkind cof :pack "to use "with athe applicator justdescribed "is ShOWlIjm01T8"C18aI -.-i=i---ly., in Figure- 12. :Itconsists er :a lengthgof ab- 1 sorptive .-material 5 such as v:cotton=-wool, laterally "compressed r tor give' tit: a degree :of 5stiffnesseand then: bentat ."3'lft0; form twolegs -3a, 3b- .which, owing:to the elasticity rofy'the vcompressed-:ma-

MOrteriaLvtendto separate. "When -such a packthas been brought intoits"position :in.-the-;vagina i by: means a of i the applicator in "the"manner derscribed and therrtube 123 :is withdrawn to free the; pack,- athe .free rends of the legs move; apart s -thus tending totpropelthepackassawhole .';-1at rerally out of-the concavity ofitheqmemberz 24randwith one .leg'i in anchoring engagement withathe :vaginal wallso i that.:the subsequent withdrawal rof the member'a 24 has "little atendencyytor-scarry I-claim: .:1. A l-vaginal pack applicator vcomprising a smooth'surfacedzpack enclosing member adapted uto :contain: a :pack at its:proximal end 1 and also adapted to be stripped from the packibydigital-traction exerted 1 on itsWdistal end, and a:packrdetainingrmember:rcomprising a portion adaptived sto;smake contactwith-the distal end of the cpackand thereby retain the pack while the1pack:-.enclosing: member isz-stripped from it 'and comprising also a.digit-contacting portion and "awspacing portion extending in thedirection of the lengthl'of the applicator:- and connecting: said firstmentionedt two. portions while spacing: them,

as portion .=extending -beyond the proximal end of' the pack-enclosingmember and being thereformed as a head shaped =to facilitate insertionof the applicator into the vagina.

52. A .yaginal .pack applicator comprising a:smooth-su'rface'ctpack-enclosing member adapted 1 to contain a pack atits proximal end an'cl ialso -adapted to be stripped. from .the pack bydigital' .traction exerted on" its. distal end; and a pack-detainingmember comprising a portion to esay," the :islope'd 65 saidpack-detaining member further: comprising adapted w makei contact withthe distal end of the pack and-thereby retain theQpack: while thepack-enclosing member is strippedc-from' it,

and comprising 'also a digit-contacting portion and a spacing-portionextending 'in'the'direction a smooth-surfaced pack-enclosing:memberadapted to contain an absorbent pack at its proximal-end andalsoadapted to be stripped from the'pack by digital traction 1 exerted onits distal':end,:saidpack-enclosing -member being longitudinally slottedat one side; and a pack-detaining member comprising a portion 'adaptedto'make contact with the distal endofia pack contained in the proxima1end of the 'pack-enclosing .mem-,'

ber, together with a tab extending throu'ghthe slot and a spacingportion extending in the direction of the length of the applicator. andconnecting said tab to' aid pack contacting portion and spacing ittherefrom towards the "distal end: of the applicator, saidpack-detaining member further comprising a portion extending beyond theproximal end ofthe pack-encloslngmember and being there formed as'aheadtapering forwardly and of 'hollow=arcuatefi section transversely tothe length of the applicator.

4. A vaginal pack applicator comprising a smooth-surfacedpack-enclosingmember adapted to contain a pack at its proximal end and also adapted tobe stripped from the pack by digital traction exerted on its distal end,and a packdetaining member comprising a portion adapted to make contactwith the distal end of the-pack and thereby retain thepack whilethe'pack-enclosing memberis' stripped from it,"and com-. prising also adigit-contacting portion and a spacing portion extendingin the directionof the length of the applicator and connecting said first mentioned twoportions while spacing-them, said pack-detaining member furthercomprising "a portion extending beyond the proximal end of thepack-enclosing member and being" there "formed 'as a headsof "hollow'arcuate transverse section and of bulbous-form larger in diameter thanthe pack-enclosing member.

5. A vaginal applicator comprising .a tube longitudinally slottedtowardsits distal 'end,'the tube slot being substantiallyflof not'less lengththan the length of 'the unslotted proximal end of .the

tube, and a detainingmember-the longitudinal dimension of whichextendswithin the length of the tube, said'member being slidable within thetube and providingv a finger contacting point rendered accessible-by.the tube slotting .and also providing a packcontacting. point 1spaced from.1;,

said finger contacting point in the direction towards the proximal end,of the tube-by adistance approximating the length of a pack.

6. A vaginal applicator comprising'atube made immersed in water, saidtube being longitudinally slotted towards its distal end, the tube slotbeing substantially of not less length than the length detaining member,the longitudinal dimension of which extends within the length of thetube, said .-member being slidable-within the tube and providinga packdetainingportionand a'finger contacting point spaced from said portionby a distance'approximating' the length ofua-pack and rendered:accessiblei by the tuber-slotting; said finger contacting. pointrbeingprovided by a-lug which extends outward through said slotting; a r '7.1A vaginal packdevice'comprising a smoothsurfacedtubular-pack-Jenclosing member, a pack having the characteristic ofbeing elastically laterally expansible enclosed inthe'proximal end. ofthe pack-enclosing member and "thereby restrained against latera1expansion, said pack-enclosing member being; adapted to be stripped fromthe pack bydigital traction exerted on its distal end, and-a.pack-detaining-lmember comprising a portion adapted to make contact withthe distal end ofthe;pack and'thereby retain, the pack while thepack-enclosing member is stripped from it,and comprising also adigit-contacting portion and a spacing portion extendingin the directionof the lengthof the applicator and connecting said first mentioned :twoportions while spacing them, said pack detaining member furthercomprising a'portion extendingzwithin the pack-enof theunslottedproximalend of the tube, and a closing member alongside the-packandterminating beyond the proximal; end of the pack-enclosing memberandbeing-there formed as a head shaped to facilitate:insertionofptheapplicator intothe vagina.-

,' 8. For a .vaginal'pack device, a pack-detaining member comprising ahead of hollow arcuate transverse section and of bulbousfform,anextension piece integral with the head and carrying :said' head at itsone end, and bent at its otherend, to providea portionmateriallytransverse tothe longitudinal axis of the head, a tab materiallyparallel with the aforesaid transverse portion, and a spacingstrip'spacing said tab from said transverse portion and'co'nne'ctingsaid tabtoit. 1

9. For a vaginal packdevice, a'pack-detaining member-comprising astripformed at itsone end with a headand being bent at a point distant fromthe head to provide a portion which is materially transverse to theimainextension of said strip, a tabmaterially paralle1 to said'transverseportion and a strip spacing and connecting said transverse portion andsaid tab.-

.10. For a;vaginal pack device, a pack-detaining. memberconsisting of astrip formed at its one end with a head and bent three times alon'g'itslength to provide, at a point distant from said head, a portionmaterially transverse to the iongitudinal axis of thehead, and toprovide'also a tab substantially parallel to said transverse'portion,and a strip spacing said'tab from said transverse portion.- I ;11.=Avaginal applicator comprising a tube longitudinally slottedtowards itsdistal end; the tube slot being closed at both ends and substantially ofnot less length than the length of the un- "slotted proximal end of thetube,'a detaining member the longitudinal dimension of which extendswithin the length of the-tube; a tab on said detaining-member projectingthrough said of material which softens and losesits form when" slot,said member being slidable within the tube and providing a packcontacting point spaced from said tab in the direction towards theproximal end of the tube bya distanceapproximating thelen-gth ofapack vl I J OTTO POBPER.

